1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to agricultural product processors, and more specifically to a cane juice extractor for in-field extraction of juice from sugar canes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sugar is one of the most basic ingredients present in the kitchens of most homes. It imparts the sweet flavor that many enjoy from drinks, candy, and desserts to savory dishes. One of the most common types of sugars consumed by the general public is sucrose derived from sugar cane.
In general, sugar cane growers or farms utilize manual labor and/or machinery to harvest ripe sugar canes. The harvested sugar cane stalks are sent to a processing plant remote from the field where they are cut into billets. The billets are processed to extract the juices. Once the juice has been extracted, the juice is sent to refineries to obtain the final product.
One of the biggest concerns with the above is the potential loss of raw material for juice extraction, i.e., not the sugar cane itself but the contents therein. Sugar cane, once cut, must be expeditiously transported to the processing plant because the cut cane begins to lose its sugar content. This issue is exasperated by the damage inflicted on the cane during mechanical harvesting since it accelerates the decay.
One proposed solution involves a trailer that may be towed by a harvester. The trailer contains an overly complex array of systems that comminute the harvested cane and extract juices. While this system appears to perform well, the potential costs in maintenance and upkeep may not be appealing to most farmers with limited financial resources. Thus, it would be beneficial in the art to provide a juice extracting device that maximizes use of raw materials by being functional in the field while being relatively simple in construction and upkeep.
Thus, a cane juice extractor solving the aforementioned problems is desired.